Vital IPA

In an age of IPAs with broad ranges of complex flavours, this one comes across as a bit one dimensional. Lots and lots of pine feature in the mouth with a bitterness that I’d describe as cherry cough medicine right at the end. It has a good malt structure, thanks I guess to the pilsner malts and there are some notes of grapefruit and tangerine in the aroma. It’s a nice for the diehards, to be sure, but not quite up with the best.

Can from Sainsburys. Golden colour with a white head. Aroma citrus and pine, taste light sweet to mid bitter with a hint of mandarin. Oily pine body.

Draught. Faintly cloudy golden color with small frothy whitish head, faint doughy aroma, medium carbonation, lightly salty medium bitter taste, thin body, long hoppy finish. Interesting salty taste.

Can from Brewers Haven. Pours a pale yellow straw color with a finger of white head. Modest aroma is citrus, fruity, and light florals. Taste is moderate in intensity; light bitters and somewhat fruity sweet. Light pine. For me nothing stands out here, just a good blend and balance of hop flavors without anything emerging as dominant. Very easy to drink.

Nice crisp copper and light amber coloured body with a three centimetre tall tan head. Aroma of bright grassy and floral hops, some doughy yeastie qualities and a bit of light caramelised sugars with a hint of earthiness from the malt. Medium-bodied; Assertive malt notes with some toast, bread and grain all noticeable coupled with a well balanced, but not overly hoppy (this definitely isn’t from the West Coast) bitterness and a touch of citrus noticeable near the end. Aftertaste shows some light sugars, a touch of grain and a well balanced hop to malt backbone that errs towards the lighter alpha acid hops. Overall, a nice East Coast IPA with a well balanced feel and some moderate floral hop flavours with some light sugars. I sampled this twelve ounce can purchased from GAT Beer in [NorthEast] Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 02-July-2016 for US$2,50 sampled in my hotel room in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania a few hours later on 02-July-2016.

On tap at Empourium, Sundbyberg. A bit hazy golden with a white head. Rather soft with hops, some pineapple, grass and light citrus. Also notes of malt. The body was medium as was the bitterness.

Can at home, 09/09/16. Clear golden with a well appointed egg shell white head. Nose is orange wine gums, toasted malts, light floral notes, bread dough. Taste comprises melon, tangerine, bread dough, straw, pale malts. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, drying close peppered with hop bitterness. Average kind of an IPA, old skool lilt to it but sippable none the less.

bottle at home ... hazy golden yellow ... big.. massive white head ... soft herbal toffee fruit nose... herbal fruit .. sweeet toffee malt .. herbal carmel... not me... quite grassy

Bottle - pours yellow white head - nose/taste of lemon, pine, white sugar and light cleaner- medium body

Fra boks (utgått på dato for én uke siden - vi tar utfrodringene på strak arm her på Mi2) Cardinal, aug-16: klar lys gylden med flott, hvitt skum. En apa på sitt beste, slik amerikanerne virkelig kan - frisk og lekker med tonnevis av tropiske frukter, granskudd, furunål og alt til faget henhørende. Elegang bitterhet, fruktig, mild og lett sødmefylt. Eminent drikkbar.